After jumping out to a Western Conference-best 7-1 record, the Houston Rockets have made a big move up the NBA Finals odds board to start the season.
Houston began the campaign with 13th-best championship odds at 35-1 and has shortened all the way to 14-1. BetMGM senior trader Anthony Parenti said in a release that the Rockets are now a championship liability for the sportsbook.
The Eastern Conference-leading Philadelphia 76ers continue to marginally improve for the 2026-27 title, going from +900 to +850 week over week. The Sixers entered the 2026 offseason at 60-1 for the NBA Finals before the acquisitions of Jaylen Brown and LeBron James massively improved their prospects.
The San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder remain the favorites for the championship but have lengthened slightly week over week, going from +285 to +290 and +380 to +450, respectively. The Boston Celtics and reigning champion New York Knicks at 10-1 are also among the top six.
There has also been significant movement in the MVP race to start the season. Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic has taken over favorite status at +200, claiming the top spot from Spurs center Victor Wembanyama, who began the season at +205 and has lengthened to +220 at DraftKings. Doncic is BetMGM's leading MVP ticket and handle attractor, according to a recent data release.
